I have never even seen one in real life. But I have an automatic aversion to anything front drive, even my van! Stems from years of engineering and vehicles and understanding physics! Its rear steered front drive. Ever driven a fork lift truck on a slippery surface? They want to spin around and go backwards. And they do somethimes. I managed that with a front drive powerchair many years ago. It spun on leaves and all but tipped me out! But if you ignore that and at low speeds you can, then I think the following:

Too wide and long for any possible sensible indoor use. Obviously, and it steers like a car going in reverse so indoors is definitely out of the question. It cant turn on its axis like a powerchair with caster wheels. So you would be doing 33 point turns even if it woul go in your house/public loo etc. That obviously doesent matter if you can transfer from one chair to another, when you want to go outdoors. Or if you can walk into say a shop, a bar, a toilet etc. But for me that totally rules it out. I need a chair to go everywhere!

But if you dont then it will work ok outdoors. But then almost anything will since indoor ability can be ignored.

Its claimed range is frankly unbelievable too when you look at its battery sizes. It uses small 40ah batteries up to 110ah ones -- You choose. Now allowing for the fact that its actually a scooter rather than a powerchair (steers like a car, rather than by applying different power to each drive wheel and uses a single motor) it should have more range than a given powerchair has on the same sized (capacity) battery. Say an extra 1/3rd if we are generous. As no power gets wasted steering.

A typical powerchair with a claimed range of 20 miles usually is in desperate need of a charge after around 5 real world miles with curbs, ramps, hills, grass, carpets etc. They are tested with a skinny 12 year old on a flat surface and batteries discharged to destruction. So on the same sized group 24 batteries (73ah gels) it would likely get around 7.5 sensible miles. It has the option of group 27 batteries that are 110 Ah typically. So it will get another 50 or 60 percent range. Or less since they weigh a ton. So call it a real world 12 miles on a good day. Still not bad but its big, slow, heavy.

If it cant go indoors anyway, why bother with heavy slow electric power when you can get 50, 90 or 100cc twist and go Quad bikes on ebay for a couple of hundred, electric start, all controls inc reverse on the bars.You could afford about 30 spare ones, and still have money left over for a rehab style or car style seat to be fitted. And have better range, less weight, no heavy batteries and better performance? And no fork lift style front wheel drive? And better riding bigger all terrain rubber?

Thats just my take on all outdoor only electric powerchairs. But they sell so maybe I am wrong!

Specs. Basically its a scooter with a joystick to control the steering via an actuator rather than the usual tiller. Its control system on the fastest version is 180Amps peak (150 normally) to its one motor (single channel) which means it will have adequate power just about, on ramps etc.

The seat height is rather high too compared to a typical powerchair, you may want to consider that when inside vehicles etc?

The greatest range will be with the slowest speed option and the largest batteries obviously.

HI Burgerman Thanks for your very detailed reply much appreciated.I am all very new to this so I had to read your post several times before some of it sank in. I do not have your technical expertise either, stil less the wherewithal to build a wheelchair.... yours do look fantastic. So I have to resort to what is available commercially, hence the optimus2 enquiry. They are available for hire so that will be my first option and I shall be ringing the guy today for a demo. I will keepyou posted Again many thanks for your help.

Well, being from Austria in combination with the fact that Meyra is a German manufacturer, I see quite a lot on the streets here. (As we speak the same language, German manufacturers regard Austria as their back yard)

To start, what are you looking for? If you just want style take the Alber Adventure...

Like Burgerman, I do not like (in my case more precisely hate) FWD. The range is certainly extremly overstated. Before you buy, I strongly recommend to test it on a typical day for range and obstacles.

Also Meyra generally supplies offboard chergers with their power chairs (and no mounting on the power chair to transport them); so if you do not have somebody to carry your charger at all times you will always have to return to your charger in due time thus limiting your range even more (in addition to Burgermans points that is).I can not remember the suspention (I tested it a while ago) but as it left no lasting impression, I guess it was no good. (I always do my "cobble stone test" here in Vienna)

On the positive side however, it is one of the few models on the market today with a (plastic) casing around vital components like the motors thus providing a better protection against water, dirt, etc.

The lighting does not protrude over the chassis thus it is more difficult to squash or graze and break hence you save money by avoiding that repair.

i actually have one and have been using it for last 3 years.The model that i have has power legrests (for elevation), electrically adjustable backrest, power adjustable seat inclination. The top speed is 15km per hour. I drive it fairly hard and the range is between 30 and 40 km. I use 90 a/h batteries. I am around 120 kg. It is both my indoor and outdoor chair.

Addmitedly it is a slightly cumbersome in tight places but a lot less then i originally expected. It is very smooth on all surfaces and i feel safe on steep inclines. However, it tends to run out of breath if joystick is pushed to full speed when going up steep slopes and it requires a bit of getting use to to find a right balance.

Remarks about slugishness are spot on and i needed to re-program the controller but it still is not quite as responsive as i would like and Meyra has a bit of a nanny attitude towards re-programming. I am trying to convince my dealer/service guy to let me play with controls. I am even willing to sign waiver but no luck as yet. Mainly i would like to increase speed to 20km/h and i am certain that speed is limited by softwer.

It is an awkward chair to transport and it is heavy.

It uses baloon front tires and large back tires as well as suspension and it has very good climbing ability around 12 cm.

Mainly i would like to increase speed to 20km/h and i am certain that speed is limited by softwer.

Speed is not software limited. If it was then it would need to have the actual gearing and capability of going that fast. That would mean much bigger currents at lower speeds and therefore shorter range, or bigger batteries etc. So you will find its at 100 percent already. Its the only sensible option for any manufacturer.

reason why i think it is software limited is the fact that when i go downhill it reaches 16.5km and then it automatically slowes down by reducing the power by one light on my joystick

but then again i am not that well versed in the mechanics or electronics. BTW i am also trying to get hold of lithium batteries and will let you know if i sucseed. Namely, a company form my hometown in Croatia has built an electro car that is going into production in may this year so i am trying to get some through them. I am also trying to get them to do a few things to my chair.

Thats because the emf is charging your battery and is called regenerative braking and as the speed goes up due to gravity the controller "crowbars" the extra output so it does not rise above a safe charge voltage on your batteries. Its not because the speed is limited by the softwre unfortunately.

To go faster you need a bigger amp controller to drive taller geared motors. Which then eats battery power very quickly even when going slow. There a reason why powerchairs with small 22nf batteries to 4 mph, group 24/34 batteries can do 6mph and non are much good with 8 mph... They lack range and torque.

sin85 wrote:reason why i think it is software limited is the fact that when i go downhill it reaches 16.5km and then it automatically slowes down by reducing the power by one light on my joystick

but then again i am not that well versed in the mechanics or electronics. BTW i am also trying to get hold of lithium batteries and will let you know if i sucseed. Namely, a company form my hometown in Croatia has built an electro car that is going into production in may this year so i am trying to get some through them. I am also trying to get them to do a few things to my chair.

regards

sin

olá sin,i do have a PDF from MEYRA explaining how to increase speed in your chair trought the buttons in the joystick box. E-mail me if you are interested and i´ll send it to you.nandol@sapo.pt